Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-11-18

/ TedulQg Tie uS6l0 NdFtGDS W SpiGS,
who listened without Saving word
! Three minutes later the Sheriff shook
hands with him and bade him good
bye Spies was strapped while the
warrant was being read to Fischer.
While the shroud was being put on
! Spies be looked pale and haggard j,
and asked TO have the strap loosened
which was done
The warrant was then read to En-
gel and Parsons, and in few mo-
ments all were in their shrouds, stand
ing at the grated door, and saying
adieux to friends in the visitors cage
The eyes of the crowd began to
center on the dark box upon the scat
fold of the dangling ropes. This box
seemed to possess a fearful fascina-
ton. and was absor bing the attention
of every person in the corridor, when
a frightful vail startled the crowd.
Some who had heard the horrible
groaning of Lingg yesterday, just be-
fore his death, declared it sounded as
if he Was still in agony. But this
was mere fancy. The black Jail cat
was the cause of tbs commotion, and
at intervals continued to emit her
her ghost-like mewing.
A command to the crowd fronting
the gallows that all must stop smok-
ing was given at l1:35 The dozen
or two who were using the weed
quenched the fire, some rather reluc'
tantly, and the ashes were slowly
strewn on the pavement. Whether
this command was given out OF hu-
manitv to the doomed men, or pre-
caution against the appalling posi-
bihty of any treacherous bomb light
ing in the corridor when the fatal
moment came, no person seemed
aware, but more thar one said a ST.
lent player down in their inmost
hearts.
1t was now 11:45, and the sus-
pense of the crowd near the gallows
was like slow torture There was
no relief, and the newspaper men
gaZed at the gallows and noted the
four ropes swaying slightly to and
fro.
At twelve minutes after eleven
o'clock the condemned partook Of q
final lunch. AT this point a report
gained currency that the Sheriff was
holding off until the last moment in
expectation that something would be
heard from Springfield. Suddcaly
the face of Deputy Gleason was seen
at the entrance of the corridor lead
ing to the scaffold. His fuce was
white and be was trembling in ev-
cry limb He raised his hand in to-
ken that the moment had arrived
The shuilling of feet wss heard in
the corridor 1t was ll:49 to the
minute Sheriff Matson appeared,
his back to the gathering, facing the
procession Spies next came into
view, broad shoudered baililf on
his right side; then came Fischer,
and last, Engel.
AS the three stepped rom the sec
ond lier of cells to the scallold, the
spectators drew long breath
Parsons is saved" was the word
that went around, bnt it was not to
be. A second later and Parsons ap'
peared, and the four men were placed
upon the trap All were ghastly pale
After the cap was placed over Par
sons head, he said: May | be al
lowed to speak? Oh, the shameful.
ness of strangling free speech"
The trap was sprung at 1854,
Fischer's last works being, Hurrah
for Anarchyw Fischer died very
hard, as did also Spies Parsons
struggled and kicked fearfully.
AT 1908 there was no pulse per
ceptible in any of the men, and iu
thirteen and one-half minutes the
Anarchists hearts were forever still
ed. All of the men died of straugu-
lation, none Of their necks being
broken
Atl2:22 the plain black collins
with but the silver screws for orna
ments, were carried TO the gallows
Sheriff Matson says the bodies viii
be delivered to the relatives wheL
application is made.
WHAT THEY WERE HUNG FOR.
Since the lapse Of time has wrought
such wondrous change in sentiment
toward the convicted Anarchists, ant
the breasts of q number OF citizens
seem surcharge1 with pity, it might
not be out OF place TO reproduce some
stern truths regarding the marke
place butchery. All the commisera
tion is expended on the men wh'
ruthlessly shot down and butcheret
a whole column OF policemen, causing
unutterable woe in family circles
where misery was an unknown qnan
tity, but the victims-are they forgot
teng Let the reader recall the murde
of the seven officers. Let thos'
whose pow # of retention are dimmet
revert To the evening of May 4, 1886
A meeting Of armed Anarchists an'
! agitated laborers was in progress
: Turbulence, envenomed oratory ant
heated passions were markedly ap
J parent. Spies and Parsons had jus
, descended from the wagon where, in
CORY speeches. they had advocated
the use OF arms aud violence az tn
, sole ways by which the "wnge slaves
could procure emancip patton from thei
, present "bondage." But four and
/ twenty hours before, instigated b,
similar oratory, the mob had assault
, ed the non union men at Mccormick
r reaper works, and in II subsequen
, encounter with the police Que Of thei
number was killed and severn
, wounded. They we're not in a moo'
, for interference. Consequently, whel
1870 men from the Despluines stree
{ station marched into the Hay ymarke
, square and Capt. Ward ordered tn
7 meeting to disperae in the name o
, the law, il needed little more tha
, Fielden's remark, "Here come th
= bloodhounds; you do your duty, AM
a iii do mine" TO urge the malcontcnt
, aud Anarchists 10 open hostilltics
a bomb was thrown and fallinj
] between two columns of policemen
moved them down like cyclone
a Not one Of the front rank was lef